Very basic battle report!

Fed up of waiting for paint and the Cave troll, me and my girlfriend decided to have a very small skirmish.  More than anything, this is a learning experience for me. The pictures aren't the best, we only had one D6 and a Cm ruler, so play was slow, but it was fun. It took her only about 5 minutes to grasp the rules ( I sense potential, though she has always been quick at catching on). The scenario was on a small table, and the object was for the goblins to subdue (wound once) and carry the unconscious hobbit off the south end of the table (needed a 5+ to carry them). The good player (Bethen)'s objective was to rush over with boromir, and escort the hobbits off the east table edge. At the start of a turn, we rolled for each rule: I rolled for each slain goblin, and on a 5+ the goblin came back on from the west or east table edge, and could act freely. Bethen rolled for each hobbit unconscious and on a 5+, the hobbit sprang back up ready for action. If the hobbit was being carried by a goblin, it would automatically act as if the hobbit had charged the goblin. I must apologise in advance if the pictures aren't of best quality, as the table is small, it was quite hard to get good pictures at the right angle... Now without further a do...


Participants - 4 Goblin with shield, 4 with spear.


Good - Merry (0M 0W 1F) Pippin (0M 0W 1F) and Boromir (6M 1W 0F).


Brandon's strategy: I start the game with 3 of each goblin on the field. 4 facing boromir, 2 facing the hobbits. My initial strategy is to keep Boromir pinned in place whilst the two goblins subdue the hobbits. Hopefully allowing the other 2 goblins to come on and help assist in holding back Boromir, however i'm worried about the horn of Gondor... Courage 2 goblins will have a hard time winning, and even if they do overcome the horn, they then have to hope boromir fails to roll a 6...


Bethen's strategy: It's pretty obvious what I need to do. Hope the hobbits win early, and use the horn of Gondor to help Boromir get over to the hobbits! Let's just hope he doesn't get three arrows in his chest;)



And with that, let the games begin!

Turn One - The lay out. Priority: Goblins.

 Merry and Pippin eyeing up the two menacing goblins blocking their path to the rest of the company, and four malicious goblins taunt Boromir, cackling, believing they have the advantage over the man. Elsewhere, a dreaded half drank glass of Cola ominously watches the carnage that is about to happen...

The two goblins that were stalking the goblins decide to strike at the Hobbits, whilst Boromir is surrounded and all fronts by the wicked litter creatures...

                                                                          Darn! as predicted, the horn of Gondor sends my goblins cowering before the valiant sound of the horn. Boromir then slashes his sword at the three goblins closest, hacking and cleaving them down to the floor!

                                                        Elsewhere, if Merry is scared he shows no sign of it, as he bests the goblin in combat sending it clattering backwards, however, due to lack of experience fighting Merry manages to stumble over his own feet and cannot lend the telling blow on the foul creature. Pippin loses his combat but the spear lunges too far to the left.

                                                                         Kill score at the end of that round!
                                                       Two goblins are added to the two that are yet to arrive to the scene!

Turn two: The Goblins revenge! Priority: Goblins.

                                                                             
                        Two crafty goblins arrive behind Boromir, whilst the one that survived last round scampered off towards the Hobbits, hoping to pick an easier fight! The Hobbits are charged again by the same goblins as last round, angered at the fact they were beaten by the hobbits...

                                                            To the horror of Merry, the goblin ducks under the sword swing from Pippin, and bashes him with his shield, forcing the hobbit to collapse to the floor unconscious! (Pippin rolled a 1, Goblin rolled a 5, and then a 6! Pippins fate role was a 3, so close yet so far...)
                               

                                                     Elsewhere, things just get worse for poor Bethen.

                                                        The Goblins not only pass their courage test, they went on to find a weakness on Boromir's attacks, and pounced, knocking the stunned man back! The spear goblin then sends his spear straight past Boromir's defences and into his shoulder, causing a wound! (1/3 Wounds) (I'm shocked) Merry fought off his goblin and yet again failed to land the killing blow. Things are looking bleak for the fellowship this round.

After the end, we rolled for reinforcements and to see if Pippin got up! Pippin failed with a 3 (5-6 needed) and remained on the floor bleeding. However, a few goblins entered play to make life difficult for Boromir...


Turn 3 - The changing tides of battle. Priority: Fellowship.

I must apologise for the lack of pictures over the next few rounds. You forget when you're having fun, especially when your partner, who was doubtful about enjoying the game at first is enjoying herself as much as you are!

                                                 A single goblin arrived from the West, and ran to pick up Pippin, and rolling a 6, He began to drag Pippin away (Moving 4cm towards the south table edge).

Merry However, managed to beat back two goblins (The spear he was fighting for the past two rounds, and the goblin that wounded Pippin) and sliced down the shield goblins face, yelling "For Pippin!", The spear goblin recoiled back in fear that his initially weak looking opponent had slain his friend.

Boromir moved up towards the hobbits and the 3 goblins on the east crawled after him, sensing him weaken.


Turn 4:  The awakening.
 Priority: Fellowship.
Again, apologies for lack of pictures. We forgot to roll for reinforcements and to see if Pippin woke up. It turns out he did. The goblin he was being carried by was therefor locked in combat (And I was so close to dragging him into the deeps!) Also, another goblin with shield came on the eastern edge of the table. Boromir charged into the goblin that had been pestering Merry since the start of the game, and then Merry moved down to aid Pippin. Boromir was promptly charged by the three cackling goblins that had been following the weakened man and with that, onto the fight phase.

Boromir used his horn of Gondor but the Goblins, being in great numbers were not phased. Boromir then rolled a 1... a 2... and a 1! bad luck. the goblins then rolled 3 3's and a 4! Boromir was knocked back and again a single spearman rolled a 6! Oh dear... (Boromir: W2/3)

Merry and Pippin won the fight and cut down the goblin, who went down with a shocked look on his face, still clutching his spear.



Turn 5: Payback. Priority: Fellowship


So after another wound (We forgot about might, tbh but Bethen was happy to carry on, as she wanted it to be a learning point for her to try and remember in future. It's true, you really do forget simple rules when having fun.) Boromir leads the charge into the same goblins. A single spearman arrives from the western table, threatening poor Merry and Pippin who do not move at all. In the fight phase, all goblins recoil from the horn of Gondor, and Boromir slashes down three of them! (That'll teach those creatures.)

Merry and Pippin remain largely inactive this turn.

No less than 5 goblins arrive on the Eastern table edge.

Turn 6: The long run home. Priority: Fellowship

Seizing the priority, Boromir, Merry and Pippin all move their full move distance and engage in combat with the goblins on the Eastern edge (Boromir does anyway) and the western goblin scampers up behind the two hobbits, threatening to seize them. In the fight phase, Boromir rolls a 6 which means, with a great swing of his sword and a quick bash with his shield, all goblins are sent reeling from the fight. He then rolls another two 6's and a 5! Neatly slicing the three goblins where they stand!

This picture was taken after casualties were removed. 

Turn 7: The last mile. Priority: Fellowship (I seem to be rolling 1's and 2's every time!)

At the end of last turn. a goblin came on the eastern edge to support the shield in the picture above. Boromir was charged by a lone goblin.

In the fight phase, Merry and Pippin both rolled a 6, beat their trapped opponents and then rolled 5's and 6's, slaying both of them. Boromir, with tonnes more experience, strength and better gear easily dispatches the lone goblin, sealing it's fate. Things aren't looking good for the denizens of Moria.

Turn 8: The end. Priority: The Fellowship.

With extremely, and I mean extremely bad luck, I do not roll a single goblin back on the table.  And all three heroes move off the table before I can do anything about it! 

The heroes looking all smug, make it back to the others!

So with that, the Fellowship score a victory. This was a fun little scenario that we both enjoyed. Sure it went slowly with taking pictures, looking at the rules every now and then, and forgetting a few of them. But it was an extremely good game, one that we both agreed we would play again.

Unit of the match for Moria: Goblin spear man. Inflicting two wounds on Boromir? I believe there is a promotion to goblin captain available in there somewhere.

Unit of the match for the Fellowship: Boromir. Could there be any other?

And with that, that concludes this report. Thanks for reading, please remember it is my first ever attempt, and the quality of pictures wasn't exactly the best, and rules were forgotten, but we are both new to the game, and loved it.

Until next time...